Data from: First evidence of wasp brood development inside active nests of a termite with the description of a previously unknown potter wasp species

Potter wasps (Vespidae: Eumeninae) are known to exhibit not only
sophisticated preying strategies but also a remarkable ability to
manipulate clay during nest building. Due to a mixture of plasticity in
building behaviour and flexibility in substrate preferences during
nest-building, the group has been reported nesting in a variety of places,
including decaying nests abandoned by termite species. Yet, evidence of
wasps nesting inside senescent termite mounds is poorly reported and, to
date, accounts confirming their presence inside active colonies of
termites are absent. Here, we address a novel intriguing association
between two species from the Brazilian Cerrado: a previously unknown
potter wasp (nest invader) and a termite species (nest builder). Besides
scientifically describing Montezumia termitophila sp. nov. (Vespidae:
Eumeninae), named after its association with the termite Constrictotermes
cyphergaster (Silvestri, 1901) (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), we provide
preliminary information about the new species' bionomics by including
(i) a hypothetical life cycle based on the evidence we collected and (ii)
a footage showing the first interaction between a recently ecloded wasp
and a group of termites. In doing so, we attempt to provoke relevant
discussions in the field and, perhaps, motivate further studies with the
group. Finally, we describe a solution to efficiently detect and sample
termitophilous species from termite nests, an intrinsic yet challenging
task of any studies dealing with such a cryptic biological system.Potter
wasps (Vespidae: Eumeninae) are known to exhibit not only sophisticated
preying strategies but also a remarkable ability to manipulate clay during
nest building. Due to a mixture of plasticity in building behaviour and
flexibility in substrate preferences during nest-building, the group has
been reported nesting in a variety of places, including decaying nests
abandoned by termite species. Yet, evidence of wasps nesting inside
senescent termite mounds is poorly reported and, to date, accounts
confirming their presence inside active colonies of termites are absent.
Here, we address a novel intriguing association between two species from
the Brazilian Cerrado: a previously unknown potter wasp (nest invader) and
a termite species (nest builder). Besides scientifically describing
Montezumia termitophila sp. nov. (Vespidae: Eumeninae), named after its
association with the termite Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Silvestri,
1901) (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), we provide preliminary information
about the new species' bionomics by including (i) a hypothetical life
cycle based on the evidence we collected and (ii) a footage showing the
first interaction between a recently ecloded wasp and a group of termites.
In doing so, we attempt to provoke relevant discussions in the field and,
perhaps, motivate further studies with the group. Finally, we describe a
solution to efficiently detect and sample termitophilous species from
termite nests, an intrinsic yet challenging task of any studies dealing
with such a cryptic biological system.